Samsung has hired a Mr. Paul Mercer, who is a long time Apple Macintosh software designer, to help them with their latest MP3 player, the Z5. Mr. Mercer used to head a company that was responsible for the software behind the iPods very popular interface. The Z5 is just slightly larger than a Nano and sports a 1.8-inch color screen. With MP3 and WMA audio playback, JPEG photo viewing, DNSe Digital Natural Sound Engine 3D audio processing and a 38-hour Li-ion battery. It's been priced to compete with the compete with the iPod Nano. The Z5 will support the Microsoft PlaysForSure digital music standard.
| Samsung executives said they had engaged Mr. Mercer and Iventor to design a user interface for the Z5 because they were hoping to offer an ease of use that matched that of the iPod, which has a simple screen and a distinctive touch-sensitive scroll wheel for making selections. "Paul helped us to design and develop a user interface for the Z5 from the beginning," said Phillip Chung, vice president for the digital audiovisual division at Samsung Electronics. Samsung's choice of Mr. Mercer also shows how much consumer electronics now rely on the powerful computing capabilities that defined personal computers two decades ago. Samsung is betting that it can win a share of the music market dominated by Apple by using new software that mimics what is found in powerful PC's. |
The player certainly is nice looking, it will come in 2 and 4 gigabyte models for aproximately 200 and 250 dollars US respectively. According to this preview or quick look at C|Net Asia, the player will also support the very popular Ogg Vorbis format. However, they say the YP-Z5 does not have FM radio capability.
Source: New York Times
